Each year on the second Saturday in May, letter carriers collect non-perishable food donations from customers. The donations go directly to local food banks to help people in need. Saturday, May 11, 2024, marks the 32nd anniversary of one of America’s great days of giving — the National Association of Letter Carriers Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive.
Photo: USPS / NALC
To date, the drive has collected more than 1.82 billion pounds of food, thanks to a postal service universal delivery network that spans the entire nation, including Puerto Rico, Guam and U.S. Virgin Islands.
The need for food donations is great. Currently, more than 35 million Americans are unsure where their next meal is coming from.
More than 12 million are children who feel hunger’s impact on their overall health and ability to perform in school. And nearly 5.2 million seniors over age 60 are food insecure, with many who live on fixed incomes.
How to Participate
Participating in this year’s Letter Carrier Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive is simple.
Just leave a non-perishable food donation in a bag by your mailbox on Saturday, May 11, 2024, and your letter carrier will do the rest. Please be sure the items are new (unopened) and unexpired. It’s that simple!
Now’s the time to grab a bag and go through your pantry.
We put our bag of canned goods out but it was not picked up. What should we do?
Thx
Patrick. Give it time. Often the Postal Service sends out trucks late in the day to pick up donations. Sometimes your carrier doesn’t have room in their truck. Someone should come by before it gets dark. — LD